Life Lesson from Zacchaeus  Luke 19:1-10  GBBC  28/09/2025

His life was similar to that of most people who are outwardly religious, but spiritually empty.  He had the knowledge of God but little desire to be right with God in his own life.  People generally have expectations of those that claim to believe God, but believe those expectations do not apply to themselves.  They justify their actions as being necessary to meet their own material, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Illustrate with the attitude of an engineer that I worked with strong religious ties.  He told me that he loved being as he could do almost all that he desired to do and then simply confess and receive forgiveness.  We often spoke of the Lord and I believe that if he heard that Jesus was going to come to town, he would do all that he could to see Him.  I told Greg that he could see the Lord in the Scriptures anytime he would, and that if he ever truly saw the person of the Lord in the Word, he might repent, turn to Him for salvation and be changed forever – saved through the glorious power of God. I believe, he, and billions of others, are just like Zacchaeus.

In the account of Zacchaeus, we are introduced to a Jew that would keep the law in order to maintain his position, depending on religious works to satisfy his conscience, but had no interest in spiritual things.  We see him characterized as –

1. A Challenged person

Luke 19:1-4  And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

1.  In his stature

He may have struggled in life because of being shorter than most of the people.  They sometimes will try to “feel tall” by work harder and being “more successful” than others in their community.

We might only wonder if he ever realized how his short stature became a great blessing.  If it were not necessary for him to climb up the tree to see Jesus, he may have been just another man among the crowd of people lining the streets as Jesus passed by.

He not only had a physical challenge, but also a social challenge –

1.  In his standing in the community.  The head of the tax collectors in their region. A position despised among the people.

Matthew 9:10-11  And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

Zacchaeus was known to be –

1. A cheating official.
2. His own community accused him

Luke 19:7  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

1. His own confirmation of their accusation –

Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

It helpful to know that the word Zaccheaus used in saying “…if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation…” is a way of admitting that he was guilty of their accusations and that he now was –

III.  A Changed person

Luke 19:9-10  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1. He was a new man through the new relationship with God in His Son, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The citizens of Jericho now had to be very careful in any accusations they would make against Zacchaeus because he was no longer the person he was before Jesus entered the city.  They would be breaking the ninth commandment –

Ex 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

He, by faith, not only by birth, certainly not by tradition, but by faith, was a son of Abraham and was blessed in him.

Romans 4:3-8  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

1. He had a new view of life.

Colossians 3:1-2  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

1. He had a new testimony to his community.

Luke 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Ephesians 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

The lesson we see this morning in the life of Zacchaeus is that salvation changes the person.  It is not enough to confess with your mouth, belief must be in the heart!

Life lessons we learn from Zacchaeus are –

1. He responded to the testimonies that he had heard about Jesus.
2. He repented of his sin.
3. He received the Lord as His Saviour.
4. He rejoiced in the knowledge of His salvation.
5. He rejected his former lifestyle, and he set about to live for the       Lord instead of himself.

Ephesians 4:22-25  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

This morning, are you a changed person?  Do you know a change has taken place, not through your own strength, but through the saving grace of God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This morning, if you have been changed by God, then receive the challenge from God and ask, Lord, what will you have me to do?  How will you have me to serve you?